Bio/Overview: Redfield is a National Board Certified Teacher in English Language Arts, who currently teaches at Highland Junior High in the Gilbert School District of Arizona. Prior to her family’s move to Arizona in 2001, she worked as a community relations director and late night announcer for a radio station in Chicago. Upon arrival in Arizona she accepted a two-year position at Highland Junior as an instructional aide who served students who exhibited attendance as well as behavioral challenges. It was this work with these students that confirmed her decision not to return to broadcasting and influenced her thinking about a career in education. However, it was her post-baccalaureate course work and subsequent National Board certification that focused her current efforts to strengthen the classroom practice and elevate the profession.

Educational Values/Philosophy: What shapes Redfield’s classroom practice is the desire to foster the development of 21st century skills in all students—specifically: critical inquiry, global collaboration, and effective communication. “These skills are fundamental to our success as a country, regardless of whether students chose to attend college and/or pursue a career.”

Achievements: Redfield was a contributing developer for NBPTS English Language Arts Standards Third Edition. She was also a contributing author for InTASC Standards Continuum Guide for Reflective Teaching Practice and currently blogs on education and policy at Arizona: Stories from School. Redfield is also featured in a number of podcasts produced by the Arizona K12 Center, where she speaks to: advanced candidates in the National Board process; teacher leaders on key areas for national reform; veteran teachers and instructional coaches on how to use the InTASC Continuum Guide for Reflective Teaching Practice to mentor and inspire teachers in a reflective practice. She is currently developing a course to support educators’ engagement with and use of the InTASC Standards recently adopted in Arizona.

Leadership Experience: Redfield currently serves as a member of the Arizona TeacherSolutions Team, a unique collaborative effort between the Center for Teaching Quality and the Arizona K12 Center, whose purpose is to identity and seek ways to elevate and transform the teaching profession so that all Arizona students benefit from a rich educational experience. Redfield is also an Arizona Education Association Priority Learning Teacher and a National Board Candidate Support Provider, as well as a mentor teacher and cognitive coach. Redfield is the founder and coordinator for the community outreach program College Road Trip that prepares students and their families for the rigor and intricacies of college preparation/admission. She also developed the 7-Step Mentoring Program” A Positive Behavior Support Approach to address many of the behavioral challenges that undermine student achievement.

Affiliations: National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, Teacher’s Leader Network, National Council of Teachers of English, Arizona Education Association, Arizona K-12 Center Summer Facility, Arizona Association for Gifted and Talented

Education: Redfield received her Bachelor’s degree in Speech Communication from the University of Illinois-Urbana. She went on to earn her Behavioral Specialist Certification from the University of Arizona, Tucson, and completed the Baccalaureate Teacher Certification Program at Rio Salado College that same year.